Obituary for Christine J. Dickson
Christine Janette Dickson
February 2, 1950 – June 8, 2020
Christine Janette Dickson passed away in Woody, California on June 8, 2020 after a courageous two-year struggle with a Glioblastoma brain tumor. Chris was born on February 2, 1950 to Robert Smyles (Bob) Dickson and Constance Lee Macdonald Dickson. Bob was a well renown Veterinarian in Kern County. She was the second child of 12 children. Chris attended the Panama Schools and graduated from West High School in 1968. During this time, she was extremely active in the Panama 4H Club, showing dairy cattle and sheep winning several showmanship and champion awards at the Kern County Fair, State Fair and Junior Cow Palace.
After attending Bakersfield College, she continued her agricultural studies at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins. Taking a break from college, she spent four years in British Honduras (Belize) as a Peace Corp Volunteer. Then she returned to Colorado State and earned her BS and Agriculture Education Teaching Credential in 1976. She was the only woman in her graduating class of Ag teachers.
Chris began her teaching career in 1976 at Arvin High School, then taught one year at Tehachapi High School. After marrying her husband, Ken Harris, in 1980, she taught four years at Hilmar High School.
Upon moving back to Bakersfield with Ken, she started the North High School Agriculture Department in 1985. During the next 35 years, she developed one of the strongest single person Agriculture High School Departments in the United States. Chris was, simply put, a great ‘student oriented’ teacher. She was a true role model for her students with an unbelievable work ethic. During this time at North High School, her students earned many state and national awards cementing a lifelong bond and mutual admiration between students and teacher.
After retirement, Chris stayed active, working on the ranch, teaching part-time at Paramount High School in Delano, and serving as an Agriculture Teacher Trainer in Haiti on a U. C. Davis project to develop an Agriculture Education Program for high school age Haitian students.
In 2017, Chris was the first female to be inducted into the CA Agricultural Teachers Association Hall of Fame. She joined her husband, her grandfather, H.K. Dickson, and her mentor, Lloyd Hokit in receiving this prestigious honor.
Chris is survived by her husband of almost 40 years, Ken Harris, and her brothers and sisters – Caroline Berry (Fred) of Visalia, Chuck Dickson of Bakersfield, Russell Dickson (Sue) of Bakersfield, Marnie Dickson of Bakersfield, Emily Peckham (Rich) of Lodi, Chet Dickson (Linda) of Granite Bay, Georgene Becerra (John) of Hollister, Patsy Templeton (Mitch) of Martinez, Robert Dickson (Jude) of Des Moines Iowa, Mickey Dickson (Brynn) of Aliso Viejo, Virginia Dickson of San Jose, and numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
During her two-year struggle with this cancer, Chris was strengthened and supported by a special group of friends -- Jane Cormier, Debi Del Papa, Cindy Gill, Jim Hudgins, Arlene and Tom Muzinich, Kathy Torchia, Sarah Webb, Kay Stockton Burkett, Lynn Martindale, Jennifer Wilke, Claudia Gray, Pat Hokit and Kim Clerou.
Her family would like to thank Greta Carver, Rachel Carver Bolender, and Carla Vara for their excellent care. In addition, Pauline Maxwell from Traditional Health Hospice and the staff at the Adventist Health AIS Cancer Center in Bakersfield – specifically Ather Mehboob, MD , Luis Mariscal, MD, MBA and John T. Heidrick, DO, FAAFP.
Services will be held on Monday, June 15, 2020 at 10AM at the Celebration of Life Center at the Greenlawn Funeral Home Southwest Bakersfield, 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93313. For those of you unable to attend in person, you may observe the services online at this link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/31035
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to The Christine Dickson Scholarship for Kern County Ag Students Fund. Address: c/o Kern Agriculture Foundation BBQ Auxiliary , 2501 E. Orange Street, Shafter, CA 93263.
A ‘Celebration of Christine’s Life’ observance will be scheduled in the future. For those who would like information regarding details, please copy and paste the link provided below to leave your contact information.
https://forms.gle/7mZTDyi12QTyjoRv8
February 2, 1950 – June 8, 2020
Christine Janette Dickson passed away in Woody, California on June 8, 2020 after a courageous two-year struggle with a Glioblastoma brain tumor. Chris was born on February 2, 1950 to Robert Smyles (Bob) Dickson and Constance Lee Macdonald Dickson. Bob was a well renown Veterinarian in Kern County. She was the second child of 12 children. Chris attended the Panama Schools and graduated from West High School in 1968. During this time, she was extremely active in the Panama 4H Club, showing dairy cattle and sheep winning several showmanship and champion awards at the Kern County Fair, State Fair and Junior Cow Palace.
After attending Bakersfield College, she continued her agricultural studies at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins. Taking a break from college, she spent four years in British Honduras (Belize) as a Peace Corp Volunteer. Then she returned to Colorado State and earned her BS and Agriculture Education Teaching Credential in 1976. She was the only woman in her graduating class of Ag teachers.
Chris began her teaching career in 1976 at Arvin High School, then taught one year at Tehachapi High School. After marrying her husband, Ken Harris, in 1980, she taught four years at Hilmar High School.
Upon moving back to Bakersfield with Ken, she started the North High School Agriculture Department in 1985. During the next 35 years, she developed one of the strongest single person Agriculture High School Departments in the United States. Chris was, simply put, a great ‘student oriented’ teacher. She was a true role model for her students with an unbelievable work ethic. During this time at North High School, her students earned many state and national awards cementing a lifelong bond and mutual admiration between students and teacher.
After retirement, Chris stayed active, working on the ranch, teaching part-time at Paramount High School in Delano, and serving as an Agriculture Teacher Trainer in Haiti on a U. C. Davis project to develop an Agriculture Education Program for high school age Haitian students.
In 2017, Chris was the first female to be inducted into the CA Agricultural Teachers Association Hall of Fame. She joined her husband, her grandfather, H.K. Dickson, and her mentor, Lloyd Hokit in receiving this prestigious honor.
Chris is survived by her husband of almost 40 years, Ken Harris, and her brothers and sisters – Caroline Berry (Fred) of Visalia, Chuck Dickson of Bakersfield, Russell Dickson (Sue) of Bakersfield, Marnie Dickson of Bakersfield, Emily Peckham (Rich) of Lodi, Chet Dickson (Linda) of Granite Bay, Georgene Becerra (John) of Hollister, Patsy Templeton (Mitch) of Martinez, Robert Dickson (Jude) of Des Moines Iowa, Mickey Dickson (Brynn) of Aliso Viejo, Virginia Dickson of San Jose, and numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
During her two-year struggle with this cancer, Chris was strengthened and supported by a special group of friends -- Jane Cormier, Debi Del Papa, Cindy Gill, Jim Hudgins, Arlene and Tom Muzinich, Kathy Torchia, Sarah Webb, Kay Stockton Burkett, Lynn Martindale, Jennifer Wilke, Claudia Gray, Pat Hokit and Kim Clerou.
Her family would like to thank Greta Carver, Rachel Carver Bolender, and Carla Vara for their excellent care. In addition, Pauline Maxwell from Traditional Health Hospice and the staff at the Adventist Health AIS Cancer Center in Bakersfield – specifically Ather Mehboob, MD , Luis Mariscal, MD, MBA and John T. Heidrick, DO, FAAFP.
Services will be held on Monday, June 15, 2020 at 10AM at the Celebration of Life Center at the Greenlawn Funeral Home Southwest Bakersfield, 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93313. For those of you unable to attend in person, you may observe the services online at this link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/31035
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to The Christine Dickson Scholarship for Kern County Ag Students Fund. Address: c/o Kern Agriculture Foundation BBQ Auxiliary , 2501 E. Orange Street, Shafter, CA 93263.
A ‘Celebration of Christine’s Life’ observance will be scheduled in the future. For those who would like information regarding details, please copy and paste the link provided below to leave your contact information.
https://forms.gle/7mZTDyi12QTyjoRv8